This agenda was established according to the GNSO Council Operating Procedures, approved and updated on 13 November 2014.
For convenience:
- An excerpt of the ICANN Bylaws defining the voting thresholds is provided in Appendix 1 at the end of this agenda.
- An excerpt from the Council Operating Procedures defining the absentee voting procedures is provided in Appendix 2 at the end of this agenda.
Coordinated Universal Time: 11:00 (http://tinyurl.com/ovobxvt)
04:00 Los Angeles; 07:00 Washington; 12:00 London; 13:00 Brussels; 19:00 Perth
GNSO Council Meeting Audio Cast
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Item 1: Administrative matters (5 mins)
1.1 - Roll Call
1.2 - Statement of interest updates
1.3 - Review/amend agenda
1.4 - Note the status of minutes for the previous Council meeting per the GNSO Operating Procedures:
Minutes of the GNSO Council meeting of 11 February and 19 March 2015 will be posted as approved on xxxx 2015.
Item 2: Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List (10 mins)
2.1 - Review focus areas and provide updates on specific key themes / topics, to include review of Projects List and Action List.
2.2 - Comments or questions arising.
Item 3: Consent agenda (5 mins)
3.1 – Approval to refer two matters (first submitted to the Council on 5 March 2015) to the GNSO's Standing Committee for Improvements Implementation (SCI). The first concerning GNSO Council practices for proposing, seconding and amendment of motions and the second on clarifying the Operating Procedures regarding the waiver and resubmission of motions
Item 4: MOTION – Proposed amendment to Charter of the IGO-INGO Access to Curative Rights Protection Mechanisms PDP Working Group (10 mins)
The IGO-INGO Access to Curative Rights Protection Mechanisms PDP Working Group was chartered by the GNSO Council in June 2014 to explore possible ways of addressing the specific needs of international governmental and non-governmental organizations with respect to curative rights protection for their organizational names and acronyms at the second level.
In March 2015 the WG requested that the GNSO Council consider amending the WG charter to provide it with greater flexibility in determining possible eligibility criteria for IGOs and INGOs regarding curative rights protections. Here the Council will vote on whether or not to accede to the WG's request.
4.1 – Presentation of motion (Susan Kawaguchi / Phil Corwin)
4.2 – Discussion
4.3 – Vote
Item 5: DISCUSSION – Cross Community Working Group to develop a transition proposal for IANA stewardship on naming related functions (15 mins)
The CWG-Transition was chartered to develop a proposal on Naming Related Functions for the IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal. A draft proposal was published for community comment on 1 December 2014, following which a revised timeline and update was provided for discussion at ICANN52 in Singapore. In March 2015, the CWG-Transition held a face-to-face meeting with the goal to publish its updated proposal for public comment in late April.
Given that the GNSO is a chartering organisation of the CWG-Transition and will need to approve the CWG's ultimate proposal, this is an opportunity for the Council to review and discuss the CWG's work and to determine what, if any, issues arise from a GNSO or Council perspective at this stage.
5.1 – Status summary (Jonathan Robinson)
5.2 – Discussion
5.3 – Next steps
Item 6: DISCUSSION - Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (15 mins)
In discussions around the IANA stewardship transition process, the community raised the broader topic of the impact of the change on ICANN's accountability given its historical contractual relationship with the United States and NTIA. The community concerns indicate that the level of trust regarding existing ICANN accountability mechanisms does not yet meet some stakeholders' expectations. Considering that the NTIA has stressed that it expects community consensus on the transition, this gap between the current situation and stakeholder expectations could be a possible impediment to timely progress of the transition.
The GNSO is one of the chartering organizations for the CCWG-Accountability, having adopted the charter in November 2014. The CCWG developed two work streams, of which the first is intended to align with the timing of the CWG-Transition work and the overall NTIA objectives and timeline. Here the Council will have the opportunity to consider how it can continue to facilitate the progress of this CCWG, especially in view of the work and timelines of the CWG-Transition.
6.1 – Status summary (Thomas Rickert)
6.2 – Discussion
6.3 – Next steps
Item 7: DISCUSSION – Proposed ICANN FY16 Budget (10 mins)
On 18 March 2015 ICANN published its draft FY16 Operating Plan and Budget for public comment. During the ICANN meeting in Singapore in February 2015, several community members had raised concerns over the budget allocation and appropriate funding targets for effective outreach for and conduct of GNSO policy work. Here the Council will discuss the draft Budget, with a view toward considering its potential effect on the GNSO's role and work and a possible comment to be submitted by the Council.
7.1 - Introduction of the topic (Amr Elsadr)
7.2 - Discussion
7.3 - Next steps
Item 8: UPDATE – Progress of Work on GNSO Council Template for Feedback on GAC Communiques (10 mins)
At the last Council meeting, Council members Carlos Raúl Gutierrez and David Cake had volunteered to assist Volker Greimann with populating the template using the Singapore GAC Communiqué as the basis for possible comment, and identify potential topics subject to existing policy recommendations or for future policy work. Here the Council will receive an update on the status of the project, and consider next steps.
8.1 – Update (David Cake / Carlos Gutierrez)
8.2 – Discussion
8.3 – Next steps
Item 9: DISCUSSION – Remaining Items from the GNSO's Strategic Discussion Session in Singapore (15 minutes)
At the February 2015 ICANN meeting in Singapore, the GNSO engaged in an open and strategic discussion concerning the effective functioning of the GNSO Council and the community as a whole. Here the Council will aim to conclude the discussion, with the emphasis on reviewing its goals and performance based on the objectives and priorities identified during its Development Session at ICANN51 in Los Angeles in October 2014.
9.1 - Update – Jonathan Robinson / Marika Konings
9.2 - Discussion
Item 10: Any Other Business (10 mins)
10.1 – CWG on Auction Proceeds (update: Jonathan Robinson)
10.2 – Buenos Aires meeting planning (update: David Cake / Jonathan Robinson)
10.3 - Appoint a Council Liaison to the CWG on Country and Territory Names
10.4 - Update on the Proposed Framework for a PDP WG on Next-Generation Registration Directory Services (RDS) noting the documents sent to Council.
Appendix 1: GNSO Council Voting Thresholds (ICANN Bylaws, Article X, Section 3)
9. Except as otherwise specified in these Bylaws, Annex A hereto, or the GNSO Operating Procedures, the default threshold to pass a GNSO Council motion or other voting action requires a simple majority vote of each House. The voting thresholds described below shall apply to the following GNSO actions:
- Create an Issues Report: requires an affirmative vote of more than one-fourth (1/4) vote of each House or majority of one House.
- Initiate a Policy Development Process ("PDP") Within Scope (as described in Annex A): requires an affirmative vote of more than one-third (1/3) of each House or more than two-thirds (2/3) of one House.
- Initiate a PDP Not Within Scope: requires an affirmative vote of GNSO Supermajority.
- Approve a PDP Team Charter for a PDP Within Scope: requires an affirmative vote of more than one-third (1/3) of each House or more than two-thirds (2/3) of one House.
- Approve a PDP Team Charter for a PDP Not Within Scope: requires an affirmative vote of a GNSO Supermajority.
- Changes to an Approved PDP Team Charter: For any PDP Team Charter approved under d. or e. above, the GNSO Council may approve an amendment to the Charter through a simple majority vote of each House.
- Terminate a PDP: Once initiated, and prior to the publication of a Final Report, the GNSO Council may terminate a PDP only for significant cause, upon a motion that passes with a GNSO Supermajority Vote in favor of termination.
- Approve a PDP Recommendation Without a GNSO Supermajority: requires an affirmative vote of a majority of each House and further requires that one GNSO Council member representative of at least 3 of the 4 Stakeholder Groups supports the Recommendation.
- Approve a PDP Recommendation With a GNSO Supermajority: requires an affirmative vote of a GNSO Supermajority,
- Approve a PDP Recommendation Imposing New Obligations on Certain Contracting Parties: where an ICANN contract provision specifies that "a two-thirds vote of the council" demonstrates the presence of a consensus, the GNSO Supermajority vote threshold will have to be met or exceeded.
- Modification of Approved PDP Recommendation: Prior to Final Approval by the ICANN Board, an Approved PDP Recommendation may be modified or amended by the GNSO Council with a GNSO Supermajority vote.
- A "GNSO Supermajority" shall mean: (a) two-thirds (2/3) of the Council members of each House, or (b) three-fourths (3/4) of one House and a majority of the other House."
Appendix 2: Absentee Voting Procedures (GNSO Operating Procedures 4.4)
4.4.1 Applicability
Absentee voting is permitted for the following limited number of Council motions or measures.
- Initiate a Policy Development Process (PDP);
- Approve a PDP recommendation;
- Recommend amendments to the GNSO Operating Procedures (GOP) or ICANN Bylaws;
- Fill a Council position open for election.
4.4.2 Absentee ballots, when permitted, must be submitted within the announced time limit, which shall be 72 hours from the meeting's adjournment. In exceptional circumstances, announced at the time of the vote, the Chair may reduce this time to 24 hours or extend the time to 7 calendar days, provided such amendment is verbally confirmed by all Vice-Chairs present.
4.4.3 The GNSO Secretariat will administer, record, and tabulate absentee votes according to these procedures and will provide reasonable means for transmitting and authenticating absentee ballots, which could include voting by telephone, e- mail, web-based interface, or other technologies as may become available.
4.4.4 Absentee balloting does not affect quorum requirements. (There must be a quorum for the meeting in which the vote is initiated.)
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Perth, Australia (WST) UTC+8+1DST 19:00
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